> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.m3ter.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Adding Debit Line Items to Bills
From *Bill management*, you can open Bills and add debits for Bill line items using the Debit reasons you've created for your Organization:
* [Add a debit for a line item on an existing bill](/guides/billing-and-usage-data/running-viewing-and-managing-bills/adding-debit-line-items-to-bills#adding-a-debit-for-an-existing-bill-line-item).
* [Add a debit line item manually](/guides/billing-and-usage-data/running-viewing-and-managing-bills/adding-debit-line-items-to-bills#adding-a-debit-manually).
**Tip: Adding Debit Reasons?** For details on how to add Debit Reasons to your Organization, see [Creating Debit Reasons](/guides/organization-and-access-management/viewing-and-editing-organization/creating-debit-reasons).
## Adding a Debit for an Existing Bill Line Item
**To add debit line items to Bills for an existing line item:**
1. Select **Billing**. The **Bill management** page opens and the Bills that have been generated for your Accounts are listed. The Bills listed are those for the default settings of monthly frequency and current month period end.
2. If the Bills you want to work with are for a different frequency and period, use the **Invoice date (inclusive)** calendar pop-ups accordingly. See [Running Bills and Viewing Bill Details](/guides/billing-and-usage-data/running-viewing-and-managing-bills/running-bills-and-viewing-bill-details).
**Tip: Invoice dates are inclusive!** Note that when you define a period to view Bills using the **Invoice date** calendar popups, both the start and end date are interpreted inclusively.
3. To select a specific **Bill** you want to add a debit line item for, select the **Reference** hotlink text. The **Bill details** page opens.
* Note that this page provides a full breakdown of the charges made to the Account for the billing period up to the **Last calculated date**. You can expand line items to see further details.
4. Select **Add debit**. The **Create** page opens and the **Debit a line item from a bill** option is selected by default.
5. Leave this default option selected and under **Debit line item details** use the **Bill** drop-down to select the bill date.
6. Use the **Line item** drop-down to select the line item from the Bill for which you want to apply a debit.
* Note that the **Amount** field is automatically populated for the selected line item's amount.
7. Select a **Debit reason** for the debit line item.
**Warning: You must create at least one Debit reason for your Organization before you can add a debit line item to a Bill!** If you haven't, the **Debit reason** drop-down will not be available and you'll see a warning:
* Select the **create a new debit reason** hotlink text provided. This takes you directly to the **Create** page to create the Debit reason you want to use to add a debit line item to the Bill. See [Creating Debit Reasons](/guides/organization-and-access-management/viewing-and-editing-organization/creating-debit-reasons).
* When you create the new Debit reason, you are taken directly back to the **Create** page and the Debit reason is selected.
8. Enter a **Description**.
9. Adjust the **Amount** as required.
10. If you want to define a specific service period to apply to the debit line item, under **Service period settings** use the pop-up calendars to enter a **Service period start date (inclusive)** and **Service period end date (exclusive)**.
**Notes!**
* If you leave these start and end date fields blank, the service period applied to the debit line item will be the same as the current billing period.
* If you intend to set up an integration for sending Bills to an external 3rd-party system, the service period start and end dates for debit line items may be *required* when integrating with some external systems. Please check your external system requirements to avoid any issues that might occur with an integration if these dates are left blank.
11. Select **Create Debit line item**. You are returned to the **Bill details** page, where the debit item is shown and the bill is re-calculated to factor in the debit item amount:
* In this example, a debit item has been added to a Bill in the amount of \$50 for one of the line items - **Stored charges**.
12. You can expand the debit line item to view details and **Edit** or **Delete** it.
**Warning: Approving and Locking Bills!**
* If you Approve the Bill:
* You can **Edit** the debit line item but the Bill will be reverted to Pending.
* You cannot **Delete** the debit line item.
* If you Approve and then Lock the Bill:
* You cannot **Edit** or **Delete** the debit line item.
## Adding a Debit Manually
**To add debit line items manually:**
1. Select **Billing**. The **Bill management** page opens and the Bills that have been generated for your Accounts are listed. The Bills listed are those for the default settings of monthly frequency and current month period end.
2. If the Bills you want to work with are for a different frequency and period, use the **Invoice date (inclusive)** calendar pop-ups accordingly. See [Running Bills and Viewing Bill Details](/guides/billing-and-usage-data/running-viewing-and-managing-bills/running-bills-and-viewing-bill-details).
3. To select a specific **Bill** you want to add a debit line item for, select the **Reference** hotlink text. The **Bill details** page opens.
* Note that this page provides a full breakdown of the charges made to the Account for the billing period up to the **Last calculated date**. You can expand line items to see further details.
4. Select **Add debit**. The **Create** page opens and the **Debit a line item from a bill** option is selected by default.
5. Select **Apply manual debit**. The **Create** page adjusts for creating a manual debit line item for the Bill.
6. Under **Debit line item details**, select a **Product** reference for the manual debit line item.
* Note that this is required for accounting purposes and associates the debit line item with a specific Product.
7. Enter a **Debit reason**, **Description**, and **Amount** for the manual debit line item.
**Warning: You must create at least one Debit reason for your Organization before you can add a manual debit to a Bill!** If you haven't, the **Debit reason** drop-down will not be available and you'll see a warning:
* Select the **create a new debit reason** hotlink text provided. This takes you directly to the **Create** page to create the Debit reason you want to use to add a manual debit to the Bill. See [Creating Debit Reasons](/guides/organization-and-access-management/viewing-and-editing-organization/creating-debit-reasons).
* When you create the new Debit reason, you are taken directly back to the **Create** page and the Debit reason is selected.
8. Enter a **Service period start date (inclusive)** and **Service period end date (exclusive)**.
**Service Period Required!** When adding a *manual debit line item*, these dates are required. If you leave them blank, you'll receive an error when you try to create the debit line item
9. Select **Create Debit line item**. You are returned to the **Bill details** page, where the manual debit line item is shown and the bill is re-calculated to factor in the debit line item amount:
* In this example, an **Overdue Bill payment penalty** manual debit line item has been added to a Bill in the amount of \$25.
10. You can expand the manual debit line item to view details and **Edit** or **Delete** the manual debit line item.
**Warning: Approving and Locking Bills!**
* If you Approve the Bill:
* You can **Edit** the manual debit line item but the Bill will be reverted to Pending.
* You cannot **Delete** the manual debit line item.
* If you Approve and then Lock the Bill:
* You cannot **Edit** or **Delete** the manual debit line item.
11. Also, you can add a manual debit line item to a bill for consumption of *another Product* by the Account:
* In this example, an **Additional storage** manual debit line item has been added to the Bill in the amount of \$125. Note that this new debit line item is clearly listed on the recalculated Bill as a charge due against the Account for a different Product.